Unfamiliar transactions on your statement happen for a number of reasons, and they are often not a result of fraud. Firstly‚ you should confirm your question by going through our checklist of common reasons for unexpected charges - often, your query can be resolved right here. If none of these seem to be reasons for yours, just call us at 1-800-668-2639 any time of the day or night, 7 days a week. We are always here to help you.

Where our fraud detection programs identify suspicious activity, we may try to contact you to verify whether the transaction is legitimate. However, there may be cases where we will try to prevent a potential fraudulent transaction by putting a hold on your account transactions.

Using your Card online is safe and convenient as long as you follow a simple rule. When shopping online, only use "secure" web pages when you enter your Card details. A web page is secure if there is a locked padlock in the lower right-hand corner of your browser or if the address starts with 'https', where the 's' stands for secure. Also, it is your responsibility to practice safe computing.

If you are a victim of online fraud, have taken reasonable care to protect your account details, and provide any necessary information to our Fraud Department, you won't be held responsible for any fraudulent charges, so you can shop online with confidence.

Your American Express Card is non-transferable meaning other people are not allowed to use your Card. If you still lend your Card to another person, even with permission to use the Card for any purchase, you will be held responsible for all charges they make.

In some instances, fraudulent card use by a family member can be covered by our Fraud Protection Guarantee, provided you are able to provide us with information which will include a declaration, affidavit, and/or a copy of an official police report. If you are concerned about a situation like this, please call us.

Yes, it is safe to continue using your Card. Our Fraud Protection Guarantee ensures that Cardmembers will not be held liable for any proven fraudulent charges, so long as they have taken reasonable care.

Identity theft is a type of fraud in which someone uses your name and personal information to open new accounts or take over your existing account, and then makes fraudulent purchases. Identity theft can result in damage to your credit rating and you may have difficulty getting loans, credit cards or mortgages until the matter is sorted.

You may receive invoices or statements for items you have no knowledge of. You can also check your credit report. If you find entries you do not recognize, you may be a victim of ID theft and you should contact the organizations immediately. You can receive a copy of your credit file from Canada's credit agencies.

To 'phish' for sensitive financial information - fraudsters send fake emails, create bogus websites and make phone calls, pretending to be from a bank or credit card company. All are designed to deceive consumers into divulging personal, financial, or account information.

If you are at all in doubt about the authenticity of the communication, contact us through the usual channels (e.g. the phone number provided on your statement or your Card). If we call you, we may ask a few security questions so we can be sure who you are. We will normally ask only for partial answers to these questions. Always consider whether the company would be likely to ask you for the kind of information being requested.

If you receive an e-mail relating to American Express that you believe could be fraudulent, immediately forward it to spoof@americanexpress.ca. Please do not include your account number in the e-mail. If you feel your American Express account information has been compromised, please contact American Express immediately by calling the number on the back of your Card.

Please do not click on any links in American Express e-mails that look suspicious because simply clicking on the link may install key logging software or a virus on your computer. It is important to practice safe computing by installing virus scanning software, firewalls, anti-spy ware software and other similar safeguards.